Everyone knows that the festive season generates a lot of waste, and we often get asked, “How can I make Christmas more environmentally friendly?

Here are our five top tips.

1 – Wrap gifts with recycled paper or fabric.

Many of us don’t know that many rolls of wrapping paper contain non-recyclable elements like foil and glitter. If you find it hard to tell, use the ‘scrunch’ test. Scrunch up the paper and see what happens. If the paper unravels itself and goes back into shape, it likely, can’t be recycled.

2 – Use LED lights and try not to go over the top.

We all love a great Xmas display, but maybe it doesn’t need to rival the Blackpool illuminations. Limiting your number of lights and how often they are on makes a massive difference.

Using LED lights for your Tree, decorations, and outdoor displays will reduce carbon emissions and the energy you use – saving you money.

3 – Send e-cards instead of real ones.

By replacing snail mail cards with e-cards, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint by saving paper and eliminating the need for fuel to deliver them.

4 – Make your own decorations – it’s great fun.

Instead of buying plastic ornaments or decorations shipped in from overseas – use items provided by nature to make your own. Pine cones, holly, seashells, stones, and evergreen branches make beautiful embellishments that are enjoyable to make and look fabulous.

5 – Be clever with your energy use.

The festive season in Scotland brings much colder temperatures, meaning we have to heat our homes more at this time of year. Save energy by installing insulation and/or a smart meter. Smart meters are a great way to see how much energy you use and why—giving you the information you need to make intelligent energy decisions, reduce carbon emissions and save money.

Dow is a waste recycling company based in Cumbernauld, Scotland. We are utterly dedicated to sustainability and the environment. If you need help disposing of your waste, we’d love to hear from you.
Find out more at – www.dowuk.com